Mayor Doug Craig has a one per cent solution when it comes to municipal infrastructure woes in Ontario.

And he shared his solution during the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce’s annual mayor’s breakfast Wednesday at the Galt Country Club.

Craig told the crowd of about 200 business people that rules governing municipalities haven’t changed since the British North America Act in 1867. And the primary sources of revenue – property tax and user fees – haven’t changed since Confederation.

“Up until the recession, we were debt free,” said Craig. “We went into debt to get $33 million in infrastructure funding. We were able to fix 125 km of roads and 16 pool and arenas. We also put in $6 million to get the Drayton Theatre. Why does it take a recession to get the city what it needs?”

Craig said Cambridge still has an infrastructure deficit of $150 million to deal with and, like other municipalities across the country, no way to fund it.

Ninety-one cents out of every tax dollar leaves Waterloo Region, said Craig.

“We need a new deal.”

Craig said the needs of municipalities differ.

“The needs in Quebec City, Toronto, Vancouver are all different. One size fits all doesn’t work for all municipalities,” Craig said.

He believes that municipalities need to come together to talk to provincial and federal governments to work out a new deal on tax sharing and municipal powers.

“If we got one per cent of personal income taxes, that would mean another $6 million for this city,” he said in calling for better fiscal balance and more powers over education and health care.

At Wednesday’s Chamber event, Craig was joined by his Milton and Burlington counterparts – mayors Gordon Krantz and Rick Goldring.

“We are Canada’s fastest growing community. We operate like a business and that’s worked out reasonably well for us,” said Mann. “It’s just a matter of time before what’s happening in Milton is creeping up the 401.”

Mann said growth in Milton has exploded since 2000 when municipal services expanded across Highway 401. In 2000, the town issued just one building permit. Today, it issues 2,000 building permits annually.

Meanwhile, Milton recently lost out in its efforts to get Metrolinx to double the GO Train rail lines out of Mississauga, so it could be another 15 years before that track is improved. That means an even longer wait to get Go Train service here.

Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring said his city has the opposite problem and is now the slowest growing city in the GTA.

“Our challenge is to thrive in a no-growth environment,” he said.

Despite its dwindling coffers, Goldring said his city is working hard to maintain its high ranking for quality of life and city services.